Soul Mates
by Infactrus Pennae
Summary: This explores the idea of past lives and soul mates. Q guides one pair of soul mates as one chapter in a woman's past closes, in order for the life as we know it to begin.  A Picard/Crusher story


Humans are ridiculously fragile beings, though more than any other species I have encountered they act as though they are immortal. I have personally taken an interest in the life of one such human for over a century. I was there at her birth; I will be there when she draws her last breath, which will be quite soon. I watched as true loves first kiss touched her gentle lips, when she bore the fifth and final proof of that love. Long gone was the glint in her eyes, though it was gone long before the clouds hide it away. Her body grows weaker by the moment. Surrounding her are family and friends. Many are weeping, other rejoicing this phase in her life is over. Soon enough, she will vacate the vessel that has housed what makes her who she is now, before she becomes who she will be next.

It is during this time she will know all that life had offered her: past, present, and future.

Oh dear Red, how you must tire of this game we play with your heart, but some lessons are not so easily learned. You my dear are far too hard headed for your own good. Perhaps, the problem is I am not able to call you Blondie. But no, he, the one your soul is bound to likes the fiery spirit of your ginger locks. So who am I to argue if he wants to continue to endure your wrath when angered?

Clouded blue eyes gaze finally see me. Wordlessly they beg me to be released from this vessel. She is ready. I however am not. I must check on someone, first, as his life cannot be taken as of yet. He has far more years to live than the eighteen he has already reached.

In a flash of light I am gone, only to appear an instant later in yet another area of the hospital. The young man I came to visit is raging with fever. It is as it must be to allow him to walk her through the path that awaits her. It is now, in his fevered state he calls out to her. Though in his life time he is unaware of whom she is or the connection they have always shared.

No, I will not let this strange aliment claim his life as well. He will get better that I will see to personally. I place a hand on his heated brow, and whisper, "It is time to walk with her, Mon Capitaine,"

His hazel eyes look upon me as if the man he once was remembers. In his delusional state his soul is awakened. As I offer my hand he takes it and we move to where she is.

He laughs as we move towards her and tells me, "It's so like her to make me wait."

This much is true, there is always the challenge of waiting. Many times, he forgets and moves on without her, only to have her come to him at the twilight of his days.

I recall their first meeting. He was a brave ship's Captain, thus the term of endearment I now bestow upon him. She was a young orphan, of but fifteen, who had disgusted herself as a boy to secure passage on his ship as cabin boy. The look upon his face, when he first saw her for what she truly was, it's no wonder he laid quick claim to her. It was then her maiden's innocence was lost. Their time was short as she paid with her life for what she wasn't. Her death came upon the birth of their only child, a daughter with the extraordinary beauty of her mother.

Ah look, she sees him, you can tell by the smile on her face. His hand as always reaches out to her, to claim her and take her on their trek through the heavens.

What's that? Oh she had spoken, though it comes out a mere whisper to faint for anyone to hear but myself and him. "Take me home," she tells him.

Of course he has no control over this task, yet I see from his eyes he knows it is time. A special smile betrays his stern features as he looks at her with all his love. For a moment he turns to face me, the hazel orbs questioning me, seemingly, hoping I can end her suffering, and send her home.

"Kiss her," I tell him as I hear the far away cries of passion's release. Soon, that magical moment will happen when her life will begin anew. I will guide her through her journey, I will mold him into what he is destined to become.

Wordlessly, he lays his lips upon her, tasting the bitter sweet nectar of a love so deep that not even the fabric of time can rip it apart. I can feel the heat of passion and how it consumes him as it always has were she is concerned.

This time, I will make their joining the most challenging. Life will not be easy for either and both must endure great trials and tribulations before they will embrace one another, as they are meant to.

A smile settles on her worn features as the age drifts away, leaving the beauty of her youth as her chest falls for the last time. It is over, this vessel, this lifetime has come to an end, and I must now take her from him for a little while.

I reach out my hand and she takes it. All around her children weep. Though they cannot hear me I tell them, "She had not more pain, no more suffering."

Before I take her away from him I snap my fingers to allow one moment of their love to ember in the vibrant flame it is.

She softly caresses his face and plants a last kiss upon his noble cheek. She is ready.

I take him back to his body and he calls out her name, "Beverly…mon cher, Beverly."

"Jean-Luc, you will have her in time," I tell him softly, before I depart from his side.

Humans are ridiculously fragile beings, but this particular pair of humans intrigues me.

For now I must wait. I know there will be a time when I can toy with these two, to truly test their worth as a whole.


End file.
